1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a connector component and an electrical terminal, particularly for use in a wiring system of a vehicle, such as an automobile.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,542 and JP-A-8-306420 disclose examples of known terminals for electrical wires. FIG. 7 of the present drawings shows a typical conventional terminal 100 before it is installed in a connector housing 104. A resilient sealing member 106 is installed on the connector housing 104. The terminal 100 is pressed through a terminal insertion opening 101 formed through the resilient sealing member 106.
The terminal 100 is formed by cutting and bending an electrically conductive plate material, e.g. by press-working. A connection portion 102 that in use is connected with a tab of a mating male-side terminal (not shown) is provided at a front half portion of the terminal 100. An electrical wire connection portion 103 that is connected with an electrical wire W is formed rearward from the connection portion 102.
The diameter of the opening 101 is smaller than the outer diameter of the connection portion 102. Thus, when an operation of pressing the terminal 100 into the opening 101 is performed, the periphery of the opening 101 is elastically expanded. To prevent a sharp (e.g. unfinished) surface or jagged edge formed in the press-working from damaging the periphery of the terminal insertion opening 101, the front edge 107 of the connection portion 102 is folded inward, as shown in FIG. 8. That is, in the conventional terminal 100, the front surface of the terminal fixture 100 is so formed as to prevent the sharp surface from damaging the resilient sealing member 106.
However, when the operation of pressing the terminal 100 into the opening 101 is performed, a side-wall edge 105 extending from the rear end of the connection portion 102 to the front end of the electrical wire connection portion 103 contacts the periphery of the opening 101. When an operation of removing the terminal 100 from the opening 101 is performed, a rear edge 102A of the connection portion 102 as well as the side wall edge 105 contacts the periphery of the opening 101. That is, in the conventional terminal 100, countermeasures of preventing the sharp surface at the rear portion of the connection portion 102 from damaging the periphery of the opening 101 at the rear portion of the connection portion 102 are not sufficient. Thus, when pressing the terminal 100 into the opening 101 is performed or when removing the terminal 100 therefrom is performed, the resilient sealing member 106 may be damaged.